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Baltimore City Delegate Curt Anderson, D-District 43, said he plans to once again lead the charge in Annapolis after the conversation that began last year failed in the General Assembly.

The opening of 24 pot shops in Colorado has fueled optimism that legalizing marijuana in Maryland may no longer be a pipe dream, as polls suggest support. A 2011 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services survey estimated there are 260,000 marijuana users in Maryland.

"The bill would take marijuana out of the realm of a criminal enterprise and make it so that folks can actually buy it in recreational ways," Anderson said. "This issue is so important, I think, to folks in my community in terms of the arrest of young African-American males. They get records, they can't get jobs, they can't get into some schools."

But unlike in years past, Anderson said he wants two committees -- the Judiciary and the Ways and Means committees -- to consider the bill. He said the chairman of the tax committee is a co-sponsor and that the duel committee approach will give jittery lawmakers some political cover during an election year.

Even a strictly controlled state-run marijuana industry is expected to generate more than $37 million in sales taxes, but there are critics.

"The greatest impact of legalizing marijuana will be on our children. It is irresponsible. It is extremely dangerous," said Mike Gimble, a substance abuse expert. "We will surely see problems on the highways, in the workplace. It's not going to be some panacea, and the reality is just the fact that baby boomers who control all of our governments, they want to get high."

The Maryland State's Attorney's Association and the Maryland State Police have yet to take a position on the matter.

The bill already faces a procedural hurdle as House Speaker Michael Busch is on record opposing fully legalizing marijuana. He will have to decide whether a joint committee will hear the legislation.

The chairman of one of those committees said last year that legalizing marijuana sends a bad message to children.